The Annual Christian Debate Over Halloween Post

As soon as candy in the trick-or-treat bag rings, a smile on a child’s face sings.

It is Halloween again in America. Christians will discuss and debate whether or not they can or should participate in Halloween. In this post, I will offer some brief thoughts on Christians and Halloween.

One thought that crosses my mind is: if Paul could eat meat sacrificed idols with a clear conscience Christians can take their kids trick-or-treating to get candy for fun. Some Christians object to Halloween regardless of whether or not some form of satanic promotion is involved. The claim sometimes made is that exposing kids to Halloween is a way for Satan to gain a stronghold in their lives.

How can Satan gain a stronghold if all kids are doing is dressing up for fun and candy? Living in this world and not believing in the gospel of Jesus Christ opens kids up for Satan’s strongholds in every aspect of life. Yet, kids are not forbidden from the things of this world despite its evil influences.

I wonder: if dressing up like ghouls and goblins is strong enough to give Satan a stronghold, wouldn’t dressing up as Bible characters begin bridging the gap to unbelievers? If we can get dress kids like Jesus, does that raise the potential for unbelievers to eventually believe the gospel?

For some adults, (who don’t really want to grow-up) Halloween is just another avenue to exercise their depravity that already exists in their lives that they normally exercise in other ways. Whatever evil or immorality celebrated on Halloween, is no different than what is celebrated every day in the lives of millions of Americans. They celebrate immortality contrary to God’s Kingdom through social interactions, work, movies, TV shows, the internet, etc.

No, I don’t really like the argument that because people will do certain evil things anyway we should just turn a blind eye. We should not just give one more avenue to express their sinfulness. However, Jesus said that what comes out of person defiles them; not what goes into them. People will find avenues to express their sinfulness regardless of whether or Halloween exists. In fact, those daily avenues to express sinfulness in everyday lives of Americans are more damaging than the one day a year we call Halloween.

For me, Halloween is about dressing up for fun and getting free candy. Okay, it is really about the candy! Even before I was a Christian that is how I thought about Halloween. Of course, in college Halloween was more about partying – as if unbelieving college students need another excuse.

But I am a Christian now. Yet, even today I see Halloween (as most people do) as just as a reason to dress up their kids for fun in order to get free candy.

In reality, there are only two kingdoms: God’s and Satan’s. There is no in-between. Darkness has no power over the Christian. If you want to participate in harmless Halloween fun and can do so with a clear conscience – do it! And let’s not condemn other Christians who have differences of conscience on these matters. If you are worried about your child being influenced by evil forces, then take the opportunity to disarm such forces with the gospel.

Finally, if you are out trick-or-treating and happen upon a group of people sacrificing meat to some Halloween idol, grab your plate, give thanks to the Lord, and share the gospel.

We should never be afraid of Satan…he is a roaring lion (no teeth)…which is why Paul could do the things he did. For instance; a curse cannot fall on someone who it doesn’t belong to – a true Christian! The most important thing we can do is use the things of the world as bridges to communicate with non-believers, like Paul did…and Paul was following the example of Christ. (1 Cor. 11:1) If the world sees that we are afraid of things like Halloween, then what they might very well interpret that to mean is that we must have a weak God. Remember – “Greater is He that is in you, then he that is in the world.”

Mark Lamprecht on hereiblog.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.